reinhard wrote:If there's no difference between the rules and whatever you feel like doing, you become like some petty dictator in the banana republic of yourself.

Your new podcast arrived just in time! I've been tweaking like crazy over the past month or so, and have created quite the banana republic of myself. Lots of things to think (and re-think) about in Part 1 of the Trilogy -- very helpful in hauling myself back from the edge. Thank you!

I really liked the focus on WHY tweaking and bending is a bad idea -- eventually a whole podcast about moderating expectations would probably be useful, because I think that's a very hard thing for most of us.

I like the rule of thumb floating around the boards that you shouldn't even CONSIDER tweaking until you've made the 21-day club. Not just "tried the vanilla version" for 21 days, but followed it CONSISTENTLY for 21 days. (And longer is better.) While not "months," it at least gives a chance for habits to get established.

Plus, people are more likely to want to tweak in an immoderate way while they're still in "SAD mindset." It takes a while to get out of that.

Longer is better, but that's a bare minimum. If someone can stick it out that long, then they'll have a better perspective on the system before it's "tweaked"... and maybe they'll figure out it's not necessary. After all, it's a very flexible system as written.

Hope to see the next podcast in this trilogy come out within the next week or so! Also, I'm new at Everyday Systems. I'm interested in No-S and Urban Ranger. Message me if you want to talk, I am happy to speak with you.

That was great Reinhard... thanks! I love the constitution idea. It's so true! I've decided to stop adding tweaks, which for me are really cheats in disguise. The only thing that I seem to not be able to do is eat breakfast, it makes me feel yucky. I wait until I get hungry (usually around 11:00) then eat a brunch... then supper. It seems to be working. I really need your next in the trilogy, don't leave us hanging too long

Though, I looked and can't find where you, Reinhard, have told us how many meals to actually eat! Maybe just 2 is still vanilla No S!?!? What do you say Reinhard? I know that the Bible always talks about eating in the morning and in the evening... no mention of a third meal. Hmm...

Thanks again Reinhard!

I guess this doesn't work unless you actually do it.
Please pray for me

I do still plan to keep my mod, but thinking about it like an amendment reminds me that I need to be strict about it. The amendments aren't enforced any less just because they weren't originally in the Constitution.